The Arkham Gazette #2 is a role playing game supplement published by Sentinel Hill Press for use with Call of Cthulhu, the horror role playing game supplement based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft. This is a supplement for the 1920s, concentrating on Innsmouth.
The supplement is available for $1.99 as a PDF and $14.99 softcover print on demand book or both for $14.99 from DriveThruRPG. The PDF is the version reviewed, although it was purchased at a reduced price as part of a special bundle. There are three PDFs; the main one is 117 pages with two pages being the front and rear covers and one and a half the front matter and Table of Contents.
About half a page explains this is the revised and expanded version of the second issue with an overview of some of the contents.
Deep Background: Locations in Greater Innsmouth starts with Skivern Rock Lighthouse, and the supplement it was taken from, Before the Fall, with a history of the lighthouse and a sidebar explaining changes made from the source material. Falcon Point Cemetery just says to see the later article and The Rawson Memorial Company gives a history of this.
From the History Books: Shadows of Polynesia has genuine Polynesian details mixed in with fictional material related to the “Kanakys” that Obed Marsh encountered with some new items.
Deep Background: Innsmouth’s Burying Grounds is material taken from Graveyards of Lovecraft Country which has details on five burial grounds in the Innsmouth area with history and details, and sidebars on burial records, zinc grave markers, some minor burying grounds and grave carvers active in Innsmouth.
New Location: The Wreck of the Elizabeth Wright has some suggestions for using this shipwreck in play, visiting it and its current appearance, the history, with some optional versions for the fate of the crew, and some scenario seeds.
Arcane Etymology: On The Name ‘Dagon’ gives history of the real Dagon, Dagon as used in New England and Dagon as used by Lovecraft.
Deep Background: The Marine Abyss beyond Devil Reef is on the deep oceanic abyss beyond Innsmouth that has since been proven not to exist (not that it did; there’s just no deep ocean there). There are some details on actual deeps.
New Person: Edward Morse introduces a real person, a self-taught expert on aquatic life who could be encountered in the Gaslight era or the 1920s, with stats and scenario seeds.
From the History Books: The Isles of Shoals and Other Innsmouth Inspiration describes these isles off New England that were partially used to inspire Innsmouth, with sidebars containing other locations that may have been used for inspiration, one being Newburyport, later described more fully.
Curious New England: The Sacred Cod is a short piece on a wooden effigy of a cod.
The Biblio-file: The Hymnal of the Esoteric Order of Dagon is an extensive description of the book, its history and versions, which doesn’t grant Mythos skill but does add to Innsmouth Lore.
The Biblio-file: The Ponape Scripture is another extensive book description like the previous one, except even more thorough, with details on the book, different copies, where copies can be found and the game stats.
Curious New England: The Feejee Mermaid is on a fake sideshow item, and others of its type, with the possibility of it being real and scenario hooks.
New Items: Innsmouth Curios describes eight different unusual items, their history, different places they might be found and their secrets.
Deep Background: Innsmouth Gold starts with details as to where examples of the gold can be found in New England and beyond, selling and buying it, as it can be bought in Innsmouth, the results of analysing it, strange effects linked to the gold and some scenario seeds.
Gaming History: Cancelled Innsmouth Books has details on what’s known about two books intended for release that were cancelled.
Location Guide: A Guide to Newburyport starts with some general notes on the, real, town, with advice on using the guide in game as part of New England. The guide gives details on the place, its history, industry and community, visitor’s information, places to stay and eat and describes a number of specific locations, indicated on a map, most of which are real. Sidebars include details on odd cases, Innsmouth agents, the town’s mayor and other real individuals, a larger map with more locations and some scenario hooks.
Scenario: Drawn from the Water is in an adventure in which the investigators look into the case of a Kingsport artist who has disappeared. The artist has become linked with another aquatic danger, and the investigators will go to several different places during the case.
Annotated Scenario Bibliography: Innsmouth and Deep Ones is a list of all published scenarios, in print or online, related to Innsmouth and the Deep Ones. They are in alphabetical order and each scenario gives the publication it was in, author, summary, setting, locations visited (with Innsmouth location numbers), entities, tomes and notes, with notes giving opinions on the scenario. This is followed by other sources related to the area and Deep Ones.
Issue 2 – Handouts is a seven-page PDF with one page being the front cover and the remainder being duplicates of the handouts.
Issue 2: Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition Conversion is a nine-page PDF with one page being the front cover and one the front matter. The rest has the updated 7E stats for the supplement.
The Arkham Gazette #2 in Review
The PDF lacks bookmarks and, given its length and the number of sections, these would have been useful. The Table of Contents just lists the major sections. Navigation is poor. The text maintains a two-column black and white format and a number of minor errors were noticed. There are a variety of black and white illustrations, photos and maps, many of which appear to be custom but some photos are probably stock.
Like the two previous issues, this covers part of what was Lovecraft Country and is now Miskatonic Country in more detail. There’s extensive background material for locations in Innsmouth and things connected to Deep Ones, including a decently sized scenario. The Newburyport inclusion is interesting. Though much of it is factual, it’s good having it all in one place and means that Keepers have material on hand for more of New England than Lovecraft’s fictional towns. In fact, it’s so useful it would be nice to see more such articles, and perhaps even an expanded sourcebook of such locations. The Arkham Gazette #2 is another good collection of Keeper material that adds depth to New England and Innsmouth and it can be found by clicking here.
Leave a Reply